Reinforced leather and process of manufacturing the same.



E. WEINHEIM. REINFORCED LEATHER AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. T, 1909.

965,261 Patented July 26, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A7105 EY E. WEINHEIM. I REINFORCED LEATHER AND PROCESS 01- MANUFACTURING THE SAME.

APPLIUATIGH FILED AUG. 7, 19( )9.

Patented July 26, 1910.

2 8HEETSBHEBT 2.

INVENTOR EMI'L. WEINHE improvement of tanned hldes of object oft turin Same,

.ficially a hide of adherent patina,

I bined thickness of natural .fabrie shall be of a uniform UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE ,EMIL WEINHEIM, or new YORK, N. Y.

REINFORGED LEATHER AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL WEINHEIM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, county, city, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Reinforced Leather and the rocess of Manufacas set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates generically to the an inferior quality, it being understood that the expression hide is used to designate both the whole hide or any portion thereof.

As is well known, animal leather varies in character and articularly'in thickness according to the ocality on the animal from which it was taken. The variation the thickness the leather in some hides from one locality toa-nother is so great that but'a comparatively small ortion' of a natural hide is of HHI-fOIIIl thic ess and suitable for commercial usewher'e a uniform minimum thickness is necessar Under these conditions the entire remaining portions of the hide are waste so far as that particular industrfy, requiring a uniform minimum thickness or theleather, is concerned.

It is an object of the invention to build up such portions of a hide which are below the desired minimum thickness and create artithe desired uniform mini- To this end a suitable closely which closely approximates composition, is emplo ed.

mum thickness.

leather in its This patina is applied to the flesh side 0 the tanned hide in a viscous state, caused to incorporate itself thereon, is distributed over the surface so that the combined thickness of the patina and natural hide becomesuniform, whereupon the atina is'insolubilized or'solidified in a suita le manner.

In some arts a fabric lining is usually employed as a covering for the flesh side of leather-which leather, nevertheless, as explained above, must have a uniform minimum thickness itself.

. It is also an object of the inventionto combine a natural tanned hide,

originally its extent, ric backing and an intermediate suitable patina so that the comhide, patina and minimum thickness throughout; .In connectionwith this of varyin thickness throughout with a fa filling of a Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 7, 1909. Serial No.

intermediate through line VI 1. Suitable color 'mineral.

' invention, itis to be borne in Patented July 26, 1910. 511,696.

mind that the combinedthickness of the patina and natural hide are caused to correspond to the desired uniform minimum thickness for the leather, the fabric backing being itself of uniform thicknessthroughout.

To this latter end the invention contem plates the application and incorporation of a suitable patina with the flesh side of the hide. The word patina is used in this specification the same as in the trade to designate a viscous substance to be applied to a surface. It is distributed in any suitable manner to achieve the eneric object of the invention, namely, to e ect the uniform thickness of a hide. The patina may be applied .directly to the flesh side of the hide and distributed over it. The fabric backing may then be applied to the patinated surface of the hide or the patina may be'first a plied to the fabric backing and the hide subsequently applied to the' atinated surfaceof the fabric backing, fies then the able manner, as by rollers, to distribute the patina in a manner to effect combined uniform thickness.

The above and further objects of the invention will be set forth more particularly in thefollowing claims and W111 be clear from the following specification, which should be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which like characters designate corresponding parts, and in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic in vertical elevation and partly in section of apparatus for carrying out the process; Fig. 2 is an exaggerated section through a portion .of the natural tanned hide to be treated; Fig. 3 is Fig. 2 showin the hide lined and built up'into one o? uniform thickness; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing modified apparatus for rendering hides uniform in thickness without lining; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a section ofthe carrier and hide aflixed thereto; Fig. 6 'is an exa gerated sectional view l-of Fi 5; and Fig. 7

6 but showside down, and

1s a View corresponding to representation a View corresponding to combined fabric treated in a suiti ing the finished hide alone, iuilt up into 7 leather of uniform cross section.

' The patina to ably a leatherfying matters, preferably '21 Viscous, animal parts, such as be employed maybe prefercomposition as follows "1 10 together in a relatively to the surface of the strip any desired manner as,

-inthe process an side 20 down, I

3. After passing beneath the rollers 14 an bone glue glutin and other glutinous matlow, suet and others. 7. Suitable saponifyin agents, ka les.

The various lngredients enumerated may such as sodium and potassium albe employed in various proportions easilydetermined by experiment but their various proportions should be such as to render the resultant composition sufficiently viscous, at approximately to 80 Fahrenheit, for

itto be spread upon the surface to be pati- I nated. Selections from the first six sets of the ingredients may be. kneaded and mixed suitable vessel under the influence of heat and then one of the seventh set of ingredients should be added and thoroughly mixed.

For proceeding with the process with apparatus as shown in Fig. 1, the trough 1 is maintained full of the desired patina, which may be kept at the desired viscosity by means of heat applied in anysuitable and well known manner. The trough 2 is kept full of a solution of an insolubilizin agent, such as dichromate of otassium. strip of suitable artificial fa 'ric 3 of uniform thickness, which may be of any desired character, but preferably a textile,

such as cotton drill, is unwound from the a and the adjustable doctor roll 10 suitably immersed in the patina of trough 1. The strip then passes by the reciprocating brush 11 which may be power driven and adjusted 3 in for instance, in that manner apparent from mechanism illustrated. The reciprocation of the brush 11 is shown to be parallel to thelength of the stri The strip then passes between shie ds 12 and 13 to one or more pairs of adjustably mounted power driven compression rolls 14 and 15. The pairs of rolls 14 may be adjusted by means of screws 16 to the desired uniform distance apart while it may be desirableto adjust the pair of vrolls 15, nearer togetherby means of the similar adjusting screws 17. At this point attendant, who may stand on the platform upon the patina 21 on strip1 18, feeds a hide 19, flesh- 15 the strip is carried by an endless carrier 22, preferably driven at a speed slightly in excess of the peripheral speed of the rollers 14 and 15, to bars 23 carried-by an inter-' mittently advancing carrier 24. The strip of fabric 3 with its attached hides is caused to drop down in festoons over each end cross bar 23 so that each festoon carries one or'more pairs of hides as indicated. Additional rods 23 may be inserted as the fabric is delivered, whereupon they. are carried to a drying room of any suitable character.

A section of a hide 19 to be treated is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The irregular flesh side 21 is also clearly shown as well as the smooth regular hair side surface 25.

The strip -3 in passin roll 5, is uniformly coate with dichromate solution. The passage of the strip over the heated rolls 7 and 8, together with its passage through the air, dries out the water from the applied dichromate solution effecting a uniform crystalline deposit of dichromate of potassium in and about the surface fibers of the fabric 3. It is desirable to maintain the drum 9- at just a suffiover the doctor I cient temperature to maintain the desired viscosity for the patina applied by the doctor roll 10. This patina is spread uniformly over the dichromatized surface of strip 3, is incorporated with the dichromate and remains there in a more or less viscous mass until after passing through the compression rolls 14 and 15. The compression rolls, which are maintained perfectly parallel one to another first grip the inserted edge ofhide 19 WhlCh is held back by the attendant and suitably stretched. These rolls may preferably be heated to a suitable temperature upward of 80 Fahrenheit and are effective in distributing the patina previously applied to the fabric strip 3 so as to fill up the irregular portions of the flesh side surface 20 of hide 19. This patina,

therefore, forms an irregular layer 21 on,

the surface 20 and on the fabric surface 26 so that the hair side 25 of thehide is parallel tothe outer surface 27 of the fabric 3 and the combined fabric is of the desired uniform minimum thickness throughout and is a firmly secured composite fabric. The heat applied by the compression rolls 14 and 15 and also the exposure to light when traversing the carrier 22 and when suspended in festoons on'thecarrier'24 causes the dichromate of potassium t insolubilize the layer of atina 21 whi has incorporated itself rmly in its /f)reviotis soluble state with'the fibrous surface 26 of the fabric 3 and the fibrous flesh side 20 of the hide 19. The parts are thereby cemented "together in a water-proof manner. After drying, this'oombined fabric is a commercial roduct, it being. understood that the fabric backing'may be trimmed off permanent effecting uniform thiclmess for a natural hide, to accomplish which it is not necessary to provide a. permanently attached lining of textile fabric.

In Fig. 4 apparatus is illustrated suitable for treating a hide to effect its uniform thickness throughout. A suitable carrier,

which may be a stripof canvas 28 of uni-.

form thickness may .be lapped about the drums 29 and 30 and its ends secured together'by lacings 31 to provide an endless hide.

carrier traveling about drums 29 and 30 which may be power driven in a suitable and well known manner. Hides 19.may be applied tothe surface of the carrier .28, hair side down, and secured thereto in suitan able manner,- as by stitchings 32 if desired the entire outside surface of thecarrier 28 may have hides attached to it. After this has been accomplished the drums may be rotated to cause one of the hides to pass over the doctor roll 5 where its flesh side is coated with dichromate of potassiiim solution. The hide is then passed over the drying rolls 7 and 8 and may be further dried b an air blast upwardly directed against it rom the nozzle 33. A crystalline deposit ofdichromate of potassium is obtained in this manner in and about the surface fibers of the The hide is then passed over the counter rotating doctor roll 10, by means of which a layer of The reciprocating rush 11 thoroughly incorporates tlie patina with the dichromate of potassium and with the surface fibers of the hide.

It is to be understood that the doctor rolls 5 and 10 may both be adjusted so :as to efi'ect deposits only upon the surface of the hides and not upon the surface of the carrier 28. Furthermore the adjustment may be such asto regulate the amount of deposit effected.

"parallel, compression rolls 14, the

After passino the brush 11 the carrier causes the hide to pass between power driven, opening between which may be regulated as eretofore described by means of the screws 16.

The passage of the carrier and attached hide with its super'posedlayer of patina between the rolls 14 distributes the patina about the irregular-surface 20 of the hide so as to fill up all the hollows therein and the hair side surface 25.

makes a finished surface 34 parallel with It is to be understood that the parts indicatedin this apparatus and numbered simi atina "is applied to it.

Fig. 4 there is illustrated but a single pair of rolls 14-, a fiat top ed table 35 taking the place of one set of to ls. As previously described it is preferable to heat the rolls 14 to aid in insolubilizing the patina applied to the hide. This may be continued by -subsequent exposure to li ht and heat. .After passing out of the rolls 14 the patinated hide may be stripped from the carrier 28 by cutting the stitches 32'and may be carried to a drying room after which it is serviceable for use in the arts.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate clearly the manner in which a hide is applied to the carrier 28 for the purpose of effecting its uniform thickness, it being noted that the flesh side 20 is uppermost.

Fi 7 clearly illustrates, in cross section, a hi e the'uniform thickness of which is effected by means of the incorporated layer 21 of leatherfied patina. I z

The composition for the patina described is described as being leatherfied after the insolubility thereof has been effected by a suitable agent such as dichremate of potas-- sium subjected to heat and light. This composition firmly incorporates itself in and about the surface fibers of the natural leather and very'nearly approximates, when insolubilized, the natural animal binder 'holding the fibrous elements of natural leather together.

Although the advantage of incorporating the leatherfying composition with the surface to be covered'wh'le this composition is we soluble and in insolub izing it thereafter 13 fully appreciated, it is also contemplated that a atina may be'emplo ed into which an inso ubilizing agent has een mixed before (preferably a short time before) this we patina is applied to thesurface of the coating and also that, for some purposes, an initially insoluble patina may. be employed.

It .is further to be understood that the patinated surface 34 of the product shown in F g. a 7 maybe recoated, varnished or otherwise treated as desired and as known in the art. Furthermore it is by no means necessary that an endless carrier 28'be em loyed for the pn o e of creating the pro not shown 11% in Fig. Asa matter of fact a discontinuou's'carrier such as fabric of Fig. 1 might be employed. Also in connection with the production of the lined product shown in Fig. 3, it is to be understood that the hides 129 19 applied to the strip 3 may be first patinated on their flesh sides in accordance w th the process set forth in connection with Fig. 4 or they'may be first subjected only to a part of the treatment described in connec- 1 tion with Fig. 4, as for instance, the dichromatizing step described therein. Again,

invention may be possible although comhides into leather of uniform thickness comflesh side of the hide.

tial body between the flesh side of the hide distribute the interposed patina throughout plete and satisfactory methods have been described.

What is claimed and what is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is 1. The process of transforming tanned prising, applying a closely adherent, viscous, patina of substantial body to the irregular flesh side of I a hide; incorporating said patina with said surface; and finishing off the surface ofthe patina parallel to the hair side of the hide.

2. The process of transforming tanned hides into leather of uniform thickness comprising, dichromatizing the flesh side of the hide; applying a soluble leatherfying patina of substantial body'to the ,dichromatized surface of the hide; incorporating said patina with said dichromatized surface; and finishing off the surface of the patina parallel to the hair side of the hide; and iiisolubilizing said patina in situ upon the 3. The process ofreinforcing and transforming tanned hides into leather of uniform thickness comprising, inter osing a closely adherent'viscous patina o substan:

and a strip of fabric; compacting the com posite fabric between parallel surfaces to the depressions in the flesh side of the hide and to effect uniformity of thickness throughout thejcomposite fabric; and solidifying the interposed patina? 4. The process of reinforcing and transforming tanned hides into leather of uniform thickness comprising, interposing a closely adherent, soluble leatherfying patina of substantial body between the flesh side of a hide and a strip of fabric after first dichromatizing 'one or more of the surfaces between Which said patina is interposed;

subjecting the composite fabric to pressure flesh side of which are filled with a closely adherent leathery composition insolubilized in situ and having afinished surface parallel with'the hair side of said hide. V

7. As an article of manufacture, the product of the process described comprising, a reinforced tanned hide of uniform thickness consistingof a natural tanned hide, the depressions in the flesh side of which are filled with a closely adherent patina thoroughly incorporated therewith and with the surface of a superposed artificial fabric lining.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name to-this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EMIL WEINHEIM.

Witnesses I LOUELL-A F. LITTLE, LEONARD DAY. 

